The present invention relates to a safety cap, and more particularly to a safety cap for protecting the head of a scuba diver or snorkelor against minor head injuries such as contusions, abrasions, incisions, lacerations and the like.
At the present time there are few, if any, devices available commercially for use by divers such as snorkelors and scuba divers, to protect them against minor head injuries. Head injuries are a major concern for such divers. Sites of underwater wrecks, caves, or the like, where they may be diving, may have sharp objects (nails, rocks, and the like) projecting outwardly. Current action may push a diver into contact with such protruding objects resulting in injury to the diver if the diver's head comes into contact with one of them.
Protective caps for persons engaged in athletic activities on land are well-known. Thus, football players and competitive bicycle riders conventionally wear protective helmets, each respectively designed for the respective sport. Such helmets are traditionally held on the head of the wearer by a strap extending from the helmet about the wearer's chin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,155 of Robertson issued Jan. 16, 1979 describes and illustrates a protective helmet designed for military air crewmen who may be required to descend from an aircraft into the water to aid in recovery of an injured or disabled survivor. That helmet is designed to fully wrap around all but the face of the wearer, and is similar in this regard, in overall shape, to that of a standard helmet worn by air crew. The helmet however has a plurality of impact protective plates secured to a base of protective layers. The helmet is held in position by a conventional chin strap.
Canadian Patent No. 387,977 of Chambers issued Mar. 19, 1929 describes and illustrates a cap with goggles to be worn in an industrial environment, in which the goggles are pivotally supported on the cap.
Other patents of general background interest relating to protective helmets include Canadian Patents Nos. 1,189,459 of Braun issued June 25, 1985 and 1,196,249 of Warncke issued Nov. 5, 1985.